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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

I have some issues. I couldn't help it, but what do you take. I've cruised before, but I always overpack. At this point, I just want to aim to underpack. The big questions I have are this: Should I pack more than 1 set of dress pants. I have a few shirts, but I can just rotate these with the set of pants. How about bathing suits? these are priority. I've got 2 that fit and 2 that I can wear without getting banned from the waterslide.

I'm only taking 1 set of shoes, my dress shoes and my flippy floppies, of course. I thought about taking my running shoes, just in case, I have a need to work out. (Yeah right. I'm there for the food and the fun.... and desert!!!)

Another reason I want to be on top of what I take, is that I know I'm going to need to save room for Stacy. She'll pack plenty, and I'm not sure how much luggage I'll be allowed on the flight. Plus, I'll have to carry it, and I'm lazy.

Anyways, its still 40 days away, so I shouldn't worry too much, but as they say, "God is in the details."

It's gonna be a great time. So far our itenarary looks like this, flying into Tampa on Saturday and we sail away on Sunday. Monday is a day at sea. Snorkeling and shopping in Grand Cayman on Tuesday. Snorkeling and exploring Cozumel on Wednesday. Then we head to Belize on Thursday and Honduras on Friday. Finally, we have a day at sea on Saturday, and return to Tampa on Sunday.

Our return flights, leave Tampa and lay-over in Atlanta. Then on to Indianapolis.

So for the next few days, I'm gonna be posting almost exclusively about this trip. I'm excited. Really, really excited. I think, in the last 50 days, I've watched Captain Ron 20 times, read numerous travel logs, and have researched every snorkeling spot in Grand Cayman.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Talk about a conundrum, my buddy and I won tickets to the Colts/Patriots game in November from a Colts Costume Contest hosted by McDonalds. His costume was crazy. We had a full Colts ensemble including Pom-Poms, Painted Faces, Cape, and a Yellow Goal Post potruding from his shoulders. This is where the problem begins. He's going to have to change his costume a little, and he's a little pissed about it.

So, what should we do? Just drop the goal posts from the costume, try to get in and just change the outfit if he's not allowed. I'm afraid that if he wears the full costume, he'll get stopped and then a big fat black cloud will hang over the entire game.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

First off, I'm in Indiana and Mr. Billy Hurricane will only cause a few showers at its worst. I'm not going to have to worry about its 150 mph wind. Nope. It doesn't scare me.

Here's some info on some truly historic hurricanes:

Hurricane of July, 1502--Was a storm that the great explorer and discoverer of American, Christopher Columbus, predicted would strike the island of Hispanola. He used his prediction to warn the Governor of Hispanola, Nicholas de Ovando, who had 30 ships in his fleet set sail back to Spain. However, the governor ignored him, and refused Columbus' request to stay in port at Santo Domingo. Within two days the storm struck in the Mona Passage between Hispanola and Puerto Rico, and sank 21 of the 30 ships, and killed approximately 500 sailors.

Tempest of 1609--At the time that the first ever colony in the United States was being developed, a strong hurricane menaced the Western Atlantic in the weeks following the departure of a fleet with 500 colonists left Great Britain for the New World. The ships then met with the maelstrom head on, and scattering all the vessels. Most were able to survive the onslaught of Mother Nature except for the flagship of the fleet, the Sea Venture, which was deposited in the infamous "Isle of Devils." Nevertheless, those who were on the ship still managed to reach shore, and received a much better fate than those, who had already situated themselves in the colony. The story of the Sea Venture was the basis of William Shakespeare's play, The Tempest.

Great Hurricane of 1780--This storm was one of several that year, which was one of the worst hurricane seasons in the era prior to record taking. Winds were estimated to be Category Four strength at 135 mph. This storm, which affected the Southern Windward Islands including Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada, Martinique, St. Eustatius, and near Puerto Rico and Grand Turk Island, is believed to have killed approximately 22,000 people. Of that total, between 4,000 and 5,000 people were killed on St. Eustatius. Martinique had an estimated 9,000 people killed including 1,000 in St. Pierre, which had all of its homes destroyed.

George Washington's Hurricane of 1788--This hurricane, which began its drive toward landfall after nearing Bermuda on July 19th, proceeded on a west-northwest course into the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and then into Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay region absorbed the worst that the storm had to offer. Most notably though, this storm is remembered for the way it was described by the father of the United States, and first president, George Washington. By the time the storm reached Washington's home in Mount Vernon, it was likely to have been a moderate tropical storm with winds about 50 mph.

Miami Hurricane of 1926--This storm hit at the worst possible time for the fledgling city. Incoporated in 1896 following the extension of the Florida East Coast Railway by Henry Flagler, the city of Miami was at the end of its first boom period early in 1926. The storm also served as a lesson for those wishing to go outside during the eye's passage. Forming a few hundred miles to the East of the Lesser Antilles on September 12th, the storm passed to the north of Puerto Rico on September 15th. Accompanied by a late issued hurricane warning, the storm arrived in Miami on the morning of September 18th. Winds peaked at 128 mph, and the pressure in Miami fell to 27.61 inches of Hg, or 935 millibars. The storm surge ranged from eight to fifteen feet, and caused $150 million dollars in damage then, or $1.7 billion today. If a similar storm hit the Miami area today, it would cause an astronomical $87 billion in damage.

Hurricane Hazel--A Category Four Hurricane that came ashore in North Carolina in October, 1954, and then brought hurricane force winds as far inland as Canada. Passing 95 miles to the East of Charleston, South Carolina, Hazel made landfall very near the North Carolina and South Carolina border, and brought a record 18 foot storm surge at Calabash, North Carolina. Wind gusts of 150 mph were felt in Holden Beach, Calabash, and Little River Inlet 100 mph gusts were felt farther inland at Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. Hazel carved a path of destruction that left over 600 dead, and damages exceeded $350 million 1953 U.S. dollars.

Hurricane Hugo--This Category Four Hurricane at landfall, carved a path from the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean to Charleston, South Carolina in September, 1989. At one point in its lifetime, Hugo reached Category Five intensity with 160 mph winds, and a minimum central pressure of 27.11 inches of Hg. Rapidly intensifying over the Gulf Stream, it came ashore in South Carolina with 135 mph winds. This storm ranks currently second all time in terms of estimated damage at $7 billion dollars.

Hurricane Andrew--This is probably the most recent memorable hurricanes in modern history. After struggling to develop in the Atlantic, this Category Five Hurricane rapidly developed over the Gulf Stream, and devastated South Florida with 165 mph winds on August 24, 1992. It was the costliest natural disaster on record with some $30 billion dollars in damage.

With the Buffett concert this past week in Indianapolis, I wanted to do a post covering some interesting art available for Parrotheads. First, we have the Floribean art of Gary Farmer. My favorite works are his "Beach Bars" and "Beach Huts", which are all Buffett themed.

Also, Teri Gardiner, does some fantastic Margaritaville art. All are filled with bright, vibrant colors to celebrate Parrothead themes.

The Blend-in Guy...Just recently, I came across the fantastic artistic illusions of Liu Bolin. Most notably, he uses his environment (a telephone booth, a graffiti'd wall) to create an image in which he blends. It's kind of a trip, and hard to explain. According to an online article, "He claims they make a statement about his place in society. He sees himself as an outsider whose artistic efforts are not always valued, especially in his native country. Standing silently in front of his chosen scene, in locations all around the world, the 36-year-old uses himself as a blank canvas. Then, with a little help from an assistant, he paints his body to merge as seamlessly as possible with what is behind him. It means people walking by while he is carrying out his performances often have no idea he is nearby until he begins to move."

Friday, July 31, 2009

In 'An Embarrassment of Mangoes', you get to travel with Ann and Steve as they venture out into the Caribbean. Putting their careers on hold, Ann and Steve take a 2 year sail on their boat, Receta, and visit such wonderful places such as the Bahamas, Granada, and the Dominican Republic. Basically, this book is put together from Ann's journal as she makes the voyage. Also, this book offers some great recipes that really add an excellent element to the book. Here's a few of my favorite recipe:

1. Combine papaya, cucumber, onion, cilantro, and hot pepper. Set aside.2. Whisk together the oil and half the lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Tass with papaya mixture.3. Taste before serving and adjust flavor with additional lime juice.

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil.2. Gradually stir in cornmeal. Lower heat and cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.3. Pour the mixture into a greased 8x8 inch pan. Allow to set for a few minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.

Serves 6 to 8. If you are really adventurous add okra. Thinly slice 4 okras and cook in the coconut milk until soft, before adding the cornmeal. Slices of coo-coo are also excellent grilled. Brush lightly with olive oil and grill until crisp on both sides.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

"I understand how scissors can beat paper, and I get how rock can beat scissors, but there’s no fucking way paper can beat rock. Is paper supposed to magically wrap around rock and leave it immobile? Why the hell can’t paper do this to scissors? Screw scissors, why can’t paper do this with people? Why aren’t sheets of college ruled notebook paper constantly suffocating students as they take notes in class? I’ll tell you why, because paper can’t beat anybody. When I play rock paper scissors, I always choose rock. Then when somebody claims to have beaten me with their paper I can punch them in the face with my already clenched fist and say, oh shit, I’m sorry, I thought paper would protect you, you asshole!"

Me: "Hey, J, if you could domesticate any animal what would it be and why?"

J: "Polar Bear"

Me: "That's cool. It'd be fun to have a bear on a leash. You could walk it down the highway."

J: "Yeah, or maybe an eagle."

Me: "Also, cool. Eagles are so much better than hawks. Could you imagine whistling, and then having a huge bald eagle swoop down and land on your shoulder? It would put those hawk tamers to shame because who wants a hawk when you can have an eagle or a Polar Bear."

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

I love you, Not only for what you are, but who I am when I am with you ~ Roy Croft

Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction. ~ Antoine De Saint Exupery

Today, Stacy and I celebrated our 5th year of marriage. We spent a marvelous day downtown petting elephants and sharks, chasing butterflies, and trying to capture a seahorse on film during a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens. We also treated ourselves to some wonderful pie from the Grand Traverse Pie Company for lunch and dinner at Indy's best seafood restaurant, McCormick and Schmicks.

Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand. ~ Margery Williams (The Velveteen Rabbit)

So for day two of Pleasure week, I would like to delve into my fascination with Taco Bell. Yeah, I know, I work there, but that still explain my addiction. It's good stuff.

Damn near cocaine for the digestive system. But I do love it, I love all the good stuff. The crunchwraps, the cheesy gordita crunches, even the chalupas. If I could buy a gallon of lava sauce, I would. It's delisch!

You know, I love the stuff so much, I could walk into a store that was out of everything but cinnamon twists and leave happy. I feel guilty to admit that, but its true.

Baja blast is a blastin' good time.

Here's a secret pleasure, have you ever had a piece of flatbread fried and then sprinkled with cinnamon sugar? I have and its awesome.

For my first post, let's cover a very deep and secretive pleasure. Most men will admit to it. Some just fantasize about it, but most go all out. My first guilty pleasure has plagued me since early adulthood. I bet you can already guess it.

That's right, fantasy sports. Since my brother first introduced me to Stratomatic, I've been playing fake, simulated sports games. There's nothing like the thrill of battle that comes from whipping friends based off of the statistics of your favorite sports heroes. From stratomatic, I developed a passion for online fantasy sports leagues. Currently, I'm participating in 4 different leagues spanning 2 sports. I'll likely continue to join leagues in Fantasy football, basketball, and maybe even hockey!

It's geeky and my wife doesn't understand, but its addicting and I love it. Just recently, I estimated that I spend on average about 20 days a year playing fantasy sports. Wooha! Jesusgeek put it best in his blog when he wrote, "I've been asked, "Why do I love fantasy sports so much?" It basically boils down to the fact that I hit all three characteristics of the perfect fantasy fan: 1) I'm a control freak. This allows me to have control over my team and do with it what I wish. 2) I get to create. Any sports fan has always said, "If I owned (insert favorite team) then I would ..." Now it's our chance. The best part is we can do it for free versus paying 600 million for the team. And 3) I'm a stat geek. I love stats. 99% of all fantasy sports is all about the numbers. I played fantasy hockey a few years back for the first time. I knew and still know nothing about the sport but I won my league. How? Because I payed attention to the numbers and not the names on the jerseys."

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Last year we got Rush and Hibbert, and I wanted Koufos. I still think he would have been a better pick for the Pacers. This year, I want Jeff Teague (with his Indianapolis ties) or Ty Lawson, who seems ready to step in and contribute right away. Heck, I would be happy with Jrue Holiday, but please don't take Hansborough (he's nothing more than collegiate fluff) or Jennings.

If we end up with Jennings, we get the same style of players we had with Artest.

Just got an email about the new summer menu at the Palomino and a special deal for diners who stop by this weekend.

Just thought I'd share. Here's what it says:-----------------------------------------------------------

To celebrate the arrival of both, Chef Amanda wants every table that dines with us this Friday and Saturday (6/26-27) to receive complimentary fresh mixed berries with zabaglione for dessert. Make a reservation by calling 317.974.0400 or at www.palomino.com. Let us know that you are coming in for “summer berries” and we’ll bring one to your table.

Starting today, stop in and try some of our fresh new summer entrees:

Little Neck Clam Linguiniin a spicy white wine sauce.

Grilled King Salmonserved with an artichoke remoulade, fresh grilled asparagus and a vine ripe tomato and basil salad.

Chicken Under a Brick(you’ve got to see it to believe it) served with a traditional panzanella bread salad.

Coppery, slightly hazed reddish orange. The pour produced a slight pour and an orangish head. Good looking brew with a sweet citrus smell. For an IPA, the beer was balanced but less hoppy than traditional IPA's. It's a very drinkable beer, but only a mediocre IPA.Additional information on Abita Brewing

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

This means nothing to me. I don't really like cabins, and to be honest, I'm just more of a Ramada, pool, beach guy. I've stayed in some. Some really nice cabins, in fact, just a few years ago, I attended a pretty fun evening of 'Guy's Behaving Badly' for my buddies bachelor party. The cabin was nice. It had the hot tub, and the big television, and it was secluded, but its not something I wake up wanting to do.

I've also seen some pretty nice log cabin homes. Not the jankey, fake log homes, but legitimate, modern log homes. They're spacious and appealing, but again, not my thing.

But anyways, happy National Log Cabin Day to all you folks out there. I hope you avoid splinters, and spiders, and have a wonderful day in your cabin.

1. Heat skillet over med heat until hot. Add onion and garlic, cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender

2. Stir in tomato sauce, water, sugar, chili sauce, chili powder, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper, cinnamon, and black pepper; heat to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until the sauce reduces to about 1 1/2 cups. Reserve some sauce for basting while chicken is on the grill.

3. Prepare grill for direct grilling

4. Grill chicken turning several times and basting with sauce. (30 to 35 minutes or until chicken internal temp is a consistent 180 degrees.

5. Heat remaining sauce in skillet over medium heat until hot, spoon over chicken. The sauce will be thick.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

This is a great video. They've been featured on the local news, ABC dateline, and several other media outlets. These students have found a connection with music, some of the students were struggling, but PS 22 helped them turn things around. The sad part of the story is the lack of funding for arts available as these students move on, most will attend middle schools that have no music programs.

Okay, for all the dog lovers out there, me included, here's a must view. Dog Parks: for the love of dogs, is a blog that focuses on the community being created at the local Dog Park. Articles range in topics but mostly focus on the personalities of the dogs. The best part about this blog is the photography. The pet photographers do an excellent job. I love looking at the pictures.So check it out, Dog Parks: for the love of dogs:

I've been following the news surrounding the Brazil wreck pretty closely. The whole thing kind of scares the hell out of me. Personally, I don't consider myself a nervous flier, but I'm not big on the whole "flying through a storm and the plane breaks apart and crashes into the sea" bit.

At first, when they were unable to find the wreckage, I started to get a little creative about what happens. Mostly, I figured that the whole thing was tied to some sort of ABC marketing ploy for the final season of Lost. I mean, I could see corporate America going this far for ratings. And Squirrel made a good point, with so much communication available to passengers, where were those random, tweets or texts that we hear so much about from the passengers.

Maybe, with the investigation still pending, those things haven't leaked yet, but I bet someone on the plane was like "Shit, this things going down, I better tell my Aunt Lou goodbye."

Humor, aside, its still a tragedy and those families are suffering. We all should keep that in mind.

But, I keep going back to plane safety, and yesterday, while we were dining with a friends, drinking Sangria, I couldn't help but think about all the times I got a little scared while flying. One time, while we were flying out of O'hare Airport, our initial departure was delayed.

Most of the time, I try to set next to the window, unless, Squirrel steals the seat. I like the view. I like to see all the little roads and homes and baseball fields from 20000 ft. They all look like little mini lego sets that high up. It's pretty awesome. Sorry, I digress. Back to the story, so I'm at O'hare, seating window side, right outside the wing. Captain comes on, tells everyone that we're gonna be a few more minutes before take off because the weather has been holding up the other planes and there's a big back log of flights leaving. Well, as I look out, I see three dudes dressed in greasy gray jumpsuits.

These dudes don't look like Aeronautical engineers, they look like the mechanics at Rama Wash & Lube. So they are out there, starring at the wing, I'm starring back. They're pointing at things. One has a wrench in his hand. The conversation seems heated. But, hey, we're just waiting for clearance right? Yeah, nothings wrong with the wing. Well, I was sooooooo wrong.Obviously, these guys were working on something. They had a wrench. I'm cool with that. What I'm not cool with is what happens next. In my head the conversation between the Greaser's probably went like this...

"Yeah, Bob, we need to reattach that thingymajinger." Greaser A

"I've tried to tighten the bolts, but it's just not working." Greaser B

"Well, you better call the bossman, because we gotta get these suckers in the air." Greaser A

Bossman replies, "Hell now, Greg costs $50 dollars an hour, that's not happening, just do what you gotta do. Get creative."

Greaser B, "okay boss, we got it."

By now, the guys are walking away, and as I'm watching them, I'm thinking. "Good, they must of got everything fixed." I was wrong. So wrong.

In a few minutes, they reappeared with duct tape. Which they continued to apply to the wing, the wing of the 75-something taking me 20000 ft into the air on my way to Denver. I could see the twinkle in their eye. They had gotten creative.

Concluding this rambling story, the point I want to make is this, especially if there are any airplane mechanics reading, don't use duct tape on planes when the passengers can see you. It scares them and they'll pee in their pants a little. Just a little.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

After suffering through a painful 300 mile drive up north (It seems like I may have sciatica), we finally made it up north. We helped the Bride and Groom prepare for the wedding, made sure everything was set up at the reception, and got to hang out with Quentin and Allison.

Hopefully, I have a little more time over the next few days to elaborate, but for now, I'm back. Really sore. Kind of tired. And not looking forward to work tonight.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Well, what a day. My big bro turns 42. If I feel old, I can't even imagine what 42 feels like. But, even though you've been over the hill for quite some time now, we can still take a look back at all the historic events that occurred during you lifetime. Also, as your little brother, its a God Given right for me to be as annoying as I can for as long as I can. So here it goes....

Consider this, the first Superbowl occurred 1967 (the year you were born), which was won, of course, by the Green Bay Packers. 1968 brought the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr and RFK. As we know, in 1969, the wheel was invented and the following year, fire was discovered. The seventies brought the Vietnam War, the Munich Olympic Games, Watergate, Pol Pot, the age of Disco, and that hotty, Margaret Thatcher. You would've been about 10 years old when Stars Wars was released. (You were 32 years old when Episode 1, The Phantom Menace was released. Isn't that trippy). In the 80's, you had Pac Man, the Rubics cube, ET. Michael Jackson had "Thriller", we found a hole in the Ozone layer, Chernobyl happened. The 90's had Desert Storm, and the Waco Incident. We captured the unabomber and Tiger Woods won his first masters. Leo sailed on the Titanic. Viagra hit the market. (Speaking of Viagra, it might just be time old man.) And of course, the Y2K bug was going to take down the environment.

Here's a really quick history of the necktie. In ancient Egypt, a thin cloth was hung down below the neck and tied to show social status. In ancient China, the first Emporer of Qin bears a necktie in every single sculpture currently existing. For the most part, the necktie roots are tied to early Croatian mercenaries (Ain't this a manly factoid!!). From a little research (yep, I took a total of 5 minutes to search 'necktie' in google), I was able to find out that the Croatian word "Hrvati" and the French word "Croates", both terms meaning Croates, combined to create the word "cravat", which in the early name of neckties. We next see a major knot development at The Battle of Steenkerque, which took place in 1692. In this battle, the princes, while hurriedly dressing for battle, just wound these cravats around their necks (Ah,ha The Steinkirk).

Moving on, we see Stocks appear in 1750 and later transform into Macaronis (Think Yankee Doodle) and Incroyables in France. By this time, we have all these types of clothe being swung around the neck of a man with no specific rules of attachment. (Hehehe, what a play on words.) So at this point, in the extravagant history of the necktie, we see the Neckclothitania published. Now, although it doesn't have the most creative name, it serves it purpose and organizes cravats into 14 different ties and how to knot them. This book also uses the term "tie" for the first time. Probably becuase it was wrote by a man, and we get lazy, and its a lot easier to print TIE than CRAVAT. Hell, i'm going to take a break now.

Okay, I'm back. We can now see that there's some organization is the Cravat-Tie-Neckcloth fad. We have a book. We have interest. And we have a lot of different types of cloth in our closets. But guess what happens, people try to be different. We see the popularity grow for white cravats, and the use of scarves, held in place by a ring, appears. It's popular with a lot of the sailors of the time (1850s). I blame this fad on the great ancestors of the Village People.

Finally, the modern necktie appears as the industrial revolution rolls on. Some manly-man, probably an Iron Worker or Coal Foreman, said "Hell with girly scarves, I need a black tie. Something long and thin, and doesn't require a lot of time. I'll even tie it like the reins on my horse carriage." And that's what they did, the four-in hand knot became popular.

Soon every man was wearing one(or at least a form of them such as the bowtie), even Abe Lincoln and Robert E Lee. Braxton Bragg probably didn't, but he sucked as a Civil War General anyways. Poof. Now it's 1920, and Jessee Langsdorf is working on a tie design. Like all great innovators, he figures out how much easier the production of neckties are with just a little tweek. 45 degree angles. And almost every tie since them has been cut this was.

During WW1, we see hand painted ties become popular. WW2 gave us a wild selection of ties. Casually growing wider and wider. In the sixties, like most things, this changes. Designs become more restrained, thinner. This continues through to today.

A few other things. There are 85 ways to knot a tie. By Thomas Fink and Yong Mao, the book "The 85 ways to tie a tie", was published in 1999. According to a review, "The discovery of all possible ways to tie a tie depends on a mathematical formulation of the act of tying a tie. In their papers (which are technical) and book (which is for the layman, apart from an appendix), the authors show that necktie knots are equivalent to persistent random walks on a triangular lattice, with some constraints on how the walks begin and end. Thus enumerating tie knots of n moves is equivalent to enumerating walks of n steps. Imposing the conditions of symmetry and balance reduces the 85 knots to 13 aesthetic ones."

sidenote: Math is the language for lovers. Really dorky lovers that think Pythagorum was cool.

In conclusion, I've decided to wear a Pratt knot today and not a Windsor knot. Woot me!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Ah, sticking with the spring theme, let me talk about another plant that has recently became a star in my landscape. About anywhere you go on the Casa de Quasebarth (another linguistic nightmare, but I digress) you'll find these gold, mounding perennials. They have deep green, strap-like leaves and produce a fragrant gold flower in the summer. The thrive in full sun, well-drained areas, but are hardy enough to survive in shaded areas. But did you know....

The name is a very tricky linguistic nightmare. It all starts with the word, "daylily" itself, which has a second legitimate spelling: "day lily."

But matters get worse when we consider the plant's scientific name. Technically, it's Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro.' Which is the name given by the original hybridizer. As you can guess, the original hybridizer of a hybrid enjoys the honor of naming it. In this case, it was the honorable, Walter Jablonski, who proceeded (whether intentionally or not) to carry this "hybrid" thing a bit too far....

You see, "Stella de Oro" literally translates, "star of gold." Superficially, it looks either Spanish or Italian. Problem is, it's neither one -- not in its entirety, at least. "Stella" is "star" in Italian, and "de oro" is "of gold" in Spanish -- but not vice versa. So what we have here, essentially, is a hybridization of language to describe a hybrid plant. It's "Spitalian!"

Not surprisingly, then, this name is commonly mangled in every imaginable way, including as:

"Stella d'Oro daylily"

"Stella Doro daylily"

"Stella d Oro daylily"

"Stella d'Oro daylily" has, in fact, become such a common misspelling that it has virtually taken over as the preferred spelling for the plant. In part, what seems to be happening here is that people are correcting Jablonski's flawed formation. They are rendering the plant name in proper Italian, where "star of gold" would, indeed, be written as stella d'oro.

Last night, Stacy and I planted a 10 foot Yoshino Flowering Cherry. The Yoshino Cherry, or Japanese Cherry, is a deciduous flowering tree that is so impressive it ranks among the best of the spring flowering trees. In 1912, the Japanese government gave the U.S three thousand Yoshino cherry trees. To this day, the Washington D.C area is famous for cherry blossom season. This tree also inspires the annual cherry blossom festival in Macon Georgia. According to some Japanese lore, there is a believable legend that each spring a fairy maiden hovers low in the warm sky, wakening the sleeping Cherry trees to life with her delicate breath.

The Yoshino Cherry is a native of Japan, Korea and China, yet will perform well in Indiana landscapes. According to Arborday.org, "it often creates a real stir when blooms are as gorgeous and bountiful as they are this spring. The slightly fragrant, white to pink flowers for which the plant is so well known, typically appear in mid-March." The trees flower every year but may not always yield the same quantity of blooms. This relates to the amount of winter cold they receive.

With a smaller yard, the Yashino works well because of its relatively small flowering tree usually only reaching 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide at maturity. Because of its compact size it will easily fit into most residential landscapes.

Friday, May 8, 2009

(LYRICS)I'm sitting here I'm thinking back to a time when I was young...My memory, is clear as dayI'm listening to the dishes clink, you were downstairs, you would singSongs of praiseAnd all the times we laughed with you, and all the times that you stayed true to usNow we say...I said I thank you, I'll always thank youMore than you could know, than I could ever showAnd I love you, I'll always love youThere's nothing I won't do, to say these words to youThat you're beautiful foreverYou were my mom, you were my dad, the only thing I ever had was you, it's trueAnd even when the times got hard, you were there to let us know...that we'd get throughYou showed me how to be a man, you taught me how to understand the things, people doYou showed me how to love my God, you taught me that not everyone knows the truthAnd I thank you, I'll always thank youMore than you could know, than I could ever showAnd I love you, I'll always love youThere's nothing I won't do, to say these words to youThat you will live foreverAlways, always and forever

Thursday, April 30, 2009

At first, I misheard the information about the new flu pandemic. I thought it was called 'Wine' flu and my first reaction was "geez, that's not new, they probably just drank a little too much Boone's Farm.

May is a special month for Hoosiers. Its a moving month. We typically move from colder weather to warmer weather. Mowers and shovels move as yard work becomes more prevalent. Fields are planted. Mother day comes. School lets out. Summer jobs begin. So with such a great month ahead, let's review the proud state of Indiana.

Did you know, that in 2007 the Hoosier state drink was adopted. We could've chose Dom Perignon or maybe a fine Pinot Grigio, but not us, Hoosiers. Championed by State Senator Dennis Kruis, a Republican from District 14, in Northeastern Indiana, we adopted 'water' as our state drink.

Yep, that's right. Some fine H2O. According to Marc D. Allan's article, State Emblems, states "Unlike some of his fellow legislators, Kruse, and auctioneer by profession, didn't benefit from this selection. Instead, he said he was alarmed to see studies showing that Americans consumer more soft drinks than they do water." Kruse liked water. He liked the purity and the health benifits of it, and that my friends, is pure Midwestern charm.

On a side note, according to the article, Liquid Candy, company's produces about 557 12 oz cans of soda for every man, women, and child in the United States in 2004. Now that's a lot of sugar!

The doctor said, 'Joe, the good news is I can cure your headaches.The bad news is that it will require castration. You have a very rare condition, which causes your testicles to press on your spine and the pressure creates one hell of a headache. The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles.'

Joe was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He had no choice but to go under the knife. When he left the hospital, he was without a headache for the first time in 20 years, but he felt like he was missing an important part of himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life.

He saw a men's clothing store and thought, 'That's what I need... A new suit.'

Monday, April 27, 2009

Sunday was a wonderful sunny day. Stacy and I went hunting for Morel mushrooms at an 'undisclosed' state park in Indiana. We even took the dogolas and enjoyed a picnic afterwards.

[sidenote: My wife is very concerned that I'm gonna to give away are mushroom spot, and everyone will converge on the area taking all of our mushrooms. She even blindfolded me and had me ride in the backseat of the cruiser so that I couldn't tell where we went.]

We found 27 mushrooms. The largest was 7 inches long and each of the others was 2 inches are longer.

We got to slide down a hill.

Some of us slide better than others.

Stacy found the first one. He's just a little guy.

Actually, she found 25 of the 27 mushrooms, and I'm pretty sure she let me find the other two becuase she felt bad. After the easter egg fiasco, I've came to the conclusion that I'm just not good at finding things. If only their was a google search for life.

I get too excited for these things becuase I was the first to post. Here's what I thought about the film "To start things off with my post, I've been so excited about this idea. The first time it was mentioned, I rushed out to view the movie.

To me, Slumdog offered a glimpse into an environment that I didn't normally consider. The gritty visuals and the fantastic soundtrack moved the film, held my attention, and made me care for Jamal. That's what I want from films, I want to disappear into another environment. As James review states, "Slumdog Millionaire pulls off an amazing balancing act; part of it feels modern and fresh and vulgar and new, pulsing with the life and energy of India in the 21st century ... and part of it has the classic scope and sweep of a classic literary adventure like The Three Musketeers or Great Expectations." It is just that, a look into a world so different than ours, but so familiar. (Hey, they even have 'Who wants to be a millionaire')

In conclusion, the scene on the train with the boys, along with the MIA Paper Planes song, is brilliant!"

Wouldn't it be cool to be a professional movie critic? I'm pretty sure that's my dream profession, but unfortunately, as you can see from my post, I don't think I could come up with enough things to say.

Well, I've traded for the truck. That means that Papa Q is driving the cruiser and I'm driving the dodge. It's always a good sign of spring when this occurs becuase the truck means loads of top soil, mulch, manure (hehe), and other yard supplies to the house. It also means I get to start planning and replanning, and debating, and arguing the site plans for my new deck. Each spring, I also get ready for the deck, but usually fail to put it in. So far, I've contacted builders, got some quotes, scratched the idea, decided to build it by hand, gathered a crew, scratched the idea again, talked my father into building it, scratched the idea, and planted some grass seeds. Just be glad that I'm not building something like a bridge or a stadium becuase it probably wouldn't ever get built.

Of course, now that I've had the truck for four day, I've enjoyed 3 rain filled days. Finally, I've got some sun today, but it's just too wet to haul anything. Instead, I've spent the day mowing and landscaping. In a few minutes, I'm off to Lowes to get some corn gluten with intentions of killing my dandelions. In theory, once applied to my yard, the corn gluten will stop the dandelions from seeding. If I pull the current ones, it should eliminate any more from popping up and spreading.

Monday, April 13, 2009

# Inspect screens (both house and vent screens to attic or crawl space) for tears and bent frames.

# Clean window screens. Lay them flat on a picnic table or a pair of sawhorses and scrub them with a soft bristle brush and a mild detergent solution. Rinse with a garden hose and allow to dry thoroughly.

# Inspect outdoor structures for deterioration --especially signs of rot. Use a small awl to probe posts, railings and window sills for soft spots. If you find any, plan to replace or repair them when the weather turns fair.

# Prepare for the outdoor cooking season by inspecting gas grills. Remove cooking grills and thoroughly clean them with soapy water and a brush with brass bristles. Remove accumulated grease from lava rocks and ceramic briquettes by turning them over and igniting the burners. Allow 10 minutes on high heat to clean the briquettes.

# Inspect garden hoses for leaks. Make temporary repairs with electrical tape. Pry out old washers and replace them. Don't leave hoses connected to outdoor spigots until the danger of frost is completely over.

# Caulk open joints, particularly around windows and doors.

# Inspect the crawl space or basement after rains for water accumulation or excessive moisture. Look for signs of water damage on the subfloor and joists beneath bathrooms, the kitchen and laundry. Find and fix leaks now or pay the price later.

# Shut off the water to the washing machine, remove the water supply hoses and examine them and the washers. Replace worn and damaged ones.

# Check fire extinguishers to make sure they are not outdated, have lost pressure or are damaged.

# Check all weatherstripping around doors and windows for wear, damage or loss of flexibility. Replace material that is no longer blocking air.

# Clean your garbage disposal. Grind two trays of ice cubes made from a mixture of one cup white vinegar to one gallon of water.

I know I spelled it wrong. The title should read as April catch up, but, honestly, I felt the tag would be more of an eye-opener. You probably saw April Ketchup and were brought into the trap like a bear to honey.

But rather than catch you up on the miscellany that is Matthew, I'm gonna throw it together. Ketchup style.

First, I've been away stressing, cleaning, preparing, organizing my restaurant for a big, big meeting with the bosses. For most of the month of April, I've totally through myself into preparation for this. Mainly, I wanted my store to 'Rock the Casbah", but also, I was presented with a prime opportunity to show my stuff. Everything was a little overwhelming, but in the end, it came out to be a perfect example of what a little hard work, commitment, and elbow grease can accomplish. I'm proud to say that we scored perfect across the board.

Also, did anybody follow the whole Somalian pirate debacle this weekend? Crazy pirates with their guns.

Another activity that has preceded my blogging is all of the early Spring yard work needing to be done. And the recent stint of good weather has allowed me to be very productive. (side note: It's rainy and cold, today).

Let's also throw some whoops out to some good television as of recently. Lost is simply addictive. I've caught some good episodes of 'The Office', and I was quietly impressed by the simple humor of the new show "Parks and Recreation" which features the amusing Amy Poehler as a 'doofy' government worker.

Finally, to catch everyone up, I want to admit that I suck at easter egg hunting. Stacy and I participated in an Adult Easter Egg hunt (no kids allowed, suckas!) and I only found five eggs. Stacy found a trillion, other friends found like a billion, and I found five.

Oh yeah, and yesterday, I was able to visit my parents. It's always fun to make it home.

Here's of the upcoming ideas I have for the summer posts:More Grill Recipe PostsA few 'around the yard' postsCruise update

This letter is very hard for me write. While we've only been together for a little over a year, I feel like we've really grown together. You've always been a very good friend of mine, and I could always count on you. I remember that day when Cheyenne told me that I couldn't handle a you. He said you were just too much for me. Too hot. But I didn't listen. I knew what we were. I knew what we represented. You and your spiciness and me with my jalapenos.

That first crunchwrap, the first soft taco, every time you gave me what I needed, something different. Well, you're gone now. It's over. I get it.

Oil hot grid to help prevent sticking. (I used PAM) Grill chicken on a covered grill, over medium heat. Turn and baste with barbecue sauce the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove from grill; baste with barbecue sauce.

**Be sure to take precaution when cooking chicken and follow grill instructions according to heat distribution and cooking temperatures.